NFL Cutdowns: Former Packers pre-draft visitors released on Sunday
· Yahoo Sports
I’ll keep this one short: The Green Bay Packers target their pre-draft visitors at a high clip, whether it’s the draft, as initial undrafted free agents or further down the line. For example, last cutdown cycle the team traded a pick for offensive linemen Darian Kinnard and picked up tight end Josh Whyle to the practice squad. Whyle eventually ended up winning a roster spot and made this year’s initial 53-man roster.
So, who was just made available to the Packers? Good question. So far, these are the players who just hit the market and were brought to Green Bay during their draft cycle (since 2022, when the team started targeting more draft picks).
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Quarterback
- Hendon Hooker, Titans
- Sean Clifford, Bengals
Can I interest anyone in Sean Clifford as a QB3 again?
Running Back
- Velus Jones Jr., Seahawks
- Evan Hull, Cardinals
- Lew Nichols, Steelers
- Damon Bankston, Giants
The one I’m most interested here is rookie Damon Bankston, who received eight times the guarantees to sign with the New York Giants than the Packers’ UDFA signing Jaden Nixon got this cycle. If Green Bay is pivoting to a more outside zone-based scheme, which has been the indication, I think Bankston fits really well. With that being said, he would probably be a practice squad signing immediately, not a 53-man roster guy.
Receiver
- Anthony Smith, Cowboys
- Samori Toure, Eagles
I don’t think the team wants to go down the Samori Toure path again, but rookie receiver Anthony Smith is interesting. Smith was taken two picks after Packers kicker Trey Smack. The seventh-round pick did not make it on the Dallas Cowboys’ roster. He ran a 4.45-second 40-yard dash at 6’2” and 197 pounds.
The guy is a speedster.
Tight End
- None
Offensive Line
- Kiran Amegadjie, Bears
- Esa Pole, Chiefs
Both Kiran Amegadjie and Esa Pole are players I could see the Packers adding to the bottom of their offensive line unit. Amegadjie was a third-round pick out of Yale for the Chicago Bears back in 2024, but he never caught on with the team. Esa Pola is a second-year former UDFA who was working with the first-team unit as the team’s left tackle in Kansas City at points this summer, but the Chiefs traded for Diego Pounds right before the cutdown deadline.
Defensive Line
- Eric Johnson II, Falcons
With seven interior defensive linemen on the 53-man roster, I’m not sure the Packers even need a practice squad defensive lineman right now.
Edge Defender
- Sam Williams, Cowboys
Sam Williams was arrested for felony sexual battery at Ole Miss, but the charges were later dropped. I know now this isn’t a great time to say this, but the Packers bring in a lot of prospects with “off-field” red flags for visits, and they generally do it to rule them out completely. I do not expect Williams to be on Green Bay’s short list.
Off-Ball Linebacker
- Trevin Wallace, Panthers
Here’s an interesting one: Trevin Wallace, the 2024 third-rounder who made 12 starts in 12 games played last year for the Carolina Panthers, was waived by the Panthers today. In total, he played 25 games (20 starts) for Carolina over two regular seasons. I could see the team taking a swing on him.
Cornerback
- D’Arco Perkins-McAllister, Chiefs
D’Arco Perkins-McAllister actually started his college career off as a fairly big recruit, but wound up bouncing around schools after two years at TCU. He ended up at New Mexico, UT-Chattanooga and Louisiana-Monroe after that. He was waived by the Kansas City Chiefs, and it’s not like the Packers’ third-team defensive backs played well in the preseason. Maybe they change things up.
Safety
- Jammie Robinson, Falcons
- Chris Edmonds, Browns
Safety is a position that will probably be more impacted on the practice squad level, if anything, than on the 53-man roster level, but two were made available today. Chris Edmonds has played almost exclusively as a special teamer when he’s been active in NFL games in his career, while Jammie Robinson, a former fifth-round pick, is looking to catch on with his sixth team in four years. He’s been available before, and the Packers haven’t added him, so I’m not sure the 25-year-old is going to be a priority for them now.